Teicher:Prodded by Andy Reid, Chiefs QB Alex Smith learning to be more aggressive

[Tribal Warfare]

Prodded by Andy Reid, Chiefs QB Alex Smith learning to be more aggressive
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
One of the qualities the Chiefs like in new quarterback Alex Smith is his recent history with few turnovers. Smith threw just 10 interceptions in his last 25 games for the San Francisco 49ers, a stat that looks extremely pretty in Kansas City after Chiefs quarterbacks committed 27 turnovers last season.

Smith’s low turnover rate was due at least in part by his reluctance to throw the ball down the field. He was referred to by frustrated 49ers fans as Captain Checkdown for his habit of throwing shorter patterns to receivers for shorter gains.

Smith is in the process of being reprogrammed by Andy Reid, his new coach. Reid doesn’t want to turn Smith into a turnover machine but wants him to be more aggressive, particularly during offseason practice.

“You want to get a feel for the offense now, particularly when you’re new at it (and) if there are close throws, challenge it, see what you can get away with,” Reid said. “If it ends up being an interception, OK, it’s an interception. You learn from it. These are smart guys so they learn from it and once they get into the season, they’re not experimenting with it on game day and they know what they can get away with and know what they can’t.

“It’s a new offense. I would tell any quarterback that comes in new that that’s what you need to do. I’ve told them all that. Go ahead and take your shots and see what you can get away with, within reason. But if it’s a close throw, there are going to be a few of those in the National Football League on game day so you need to know what you can get away with on each route.”

Smith and the other Chiefs quarterbacks were rewarded with several long completions in Wednesday’s practice. Smith had three such plays, including two to Jon Baldwin, while Tyler Bray and Ricky Stanzi had one apiece.

Wednesday’s barrage of big passing plays isn’t necessarily an indication the deep ball is back in the Chiefs’ offense. But since such plays have been scarce for the Chiefs in each of the past two seasons, they’re taking it as an encouraging sign.

“We’re just kind of continuing to press to see what we can do … finding out what we’re capable of,” Smith said. “You’ve got to find that out at some point. This is what the practice field is for.”

Smith was the NFL’s highest-rated passer last season before he was injured, missed a start and then replaced by Colin Kaepernick as San Francisco’s starting quarterback. Smith was completing more than 70 percent of his passes, a high rate, and had just five interceptions.

Still, he had just 30 touchdown passes in his final 25 starts for the 49ers. While that’s a good number as a ratio with his 10 interceptions, it still represents a shortage of big plays.

Smith won’t turn into a mad bomber overnight, if he ever does.

“You want to stay aggressive,” Smith said. “But in the end I’m always trying to make the right read and throw where the defense is telling me to throw. You don’t come out here and predetermine anything, like ‘Oh, I’m going to chuck it deep on this play.’ I’m constantly trying to just trust my eyes and what I’m seeing out there, trust my reads and what I’ve prepared for and then come out here and throw good balls.”

For his part, Reid might be OK with that. But for now, when an interception costs the Chiefs nothing, he would prefer Smith be more of a gambler.

“Everybody is all on board (with Smith),” Reid said. “He’s a good football player. He’s showing that (along with) good leadership. I’m asking him to do a ton of things. He’s handling it. We’ve had an interception here or there but that’s all part of this thing. You’ve got to find out about the offense and you can’t do it with your hands in your pocket. You’ve got to go out and try things and experiment. That’s what he’s doing now.

“It’s just good stuff. He’s staying aggressive with the ball, and I appreciate that.”

The final offseason practice is today. The Chiefs won’t get together again as a group until training camp begins in July at Missouri Western State University.

Smith indicated he may try to throw to some Chiefs receivers during their downtime in an effort to stay sharp.

“We’re heads and shoulder above where we were a couple of months ago,” he said. “But that’s a never-ending thing. I don’t think it’s something like, ‘We’ve got a good feel for each other so we don’t need to work anymore.’ You’re constantly working at it. This is our job, this is our craft. Every single day, it’s coming out here and pushing to get better.”

[mcaj22]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

None of those players are "bad" and outside of Asamoah, will likely provide quality depth.

Asamoah's due for a break out season. If it doesn't happen, it's time to move on.

Dunta Robinson and Kendrick Lewis are ****ing terrible and have no business being on this team

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

you have bigger hard on for some average bum like Avery than I do thinking Anthony Sherman sucks at FB

So is he going to miss training camp?
All reports seem to indicate he will be fine.
If that is the case its pretty hard to argue that he is not our best option at WR2.
I would be pretty surprised If he gets cut.

[Hammock Parties]

What was good about Dunta Robinson last year?

Falcons fans were overjoyed his ass got dumped.

[mcaj22]

Kendrick Lewis got replaced last year on a 2-14 team by a Tysyn Hartman, Abe Elam, Travis Daniels platoon of crap FS play

let that sink in how bad he is

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

Mike Devito is the second most accomplished DL on this roster

Dunta Robinson is the second most accomplished CB on this roster

Kendrick Lewis is the second most accomplished FS on this roster

Jon Asamoah is the second most accomplished OL on this roster

you can do this with a lot of average/bad players on paper with this team. that doesnt make them good or prone to being protected of a roster spot

Lol. None of those guys save lewis are in danger of being cut.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Whoa, whoa, whoa: Newton is a gimmick? What?

He played on a team that for two years straight, had a terrible defense. All he's done is put up 8,000 yards in the air, another 1,500 on the ground and a total of 62 TD's.

Gimmick?

And Kaepernick is a BEAST. Not only is he an elite athlete, the guy can just as easily run for a 50 yard TD as he can throw one.

I don't know what NFL games you're watching but they must be much different than the games I see.

Cam Newton will never win anything significant unless he has a rebirth.

I don't give two shits about the stats, the guy is a selfish player and isn't smart enough to execute a whole NFL offense. Colin Cowherd has said multiple times that coaches have told him they had to use an abbreviated playbook with him and limit his reads.

Saying you would rather have Cam Newton than any other NFL QB is silly.

[mcaj22]

Cam Newton lost to the Brady Quinn led Chiefs riding an 8 game losing streak and coming off the Belcher incident

Cam Newton lost to that team. Think about that. Down 7 and goes 3 and out in the 4th quarter to piss the game away.

He cant make a read to save his life against good or bad teams that just move guys around on defense and mask coverages

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

Cam Newton lost to the Brady Quinn led Chiefs riding an 8 game losing streak and coming off the Belcher incident

Cam Newton lost to that team. Think about that. Down 7 and goes 3 and out in the 4th quarter to piss the game away.

He cant make a read to save his life against good or bad teams that just move guys around on defense and mask coverages

Not sure how relevant that is considering RAC's defense held Manning's offense to their worst outing all season at Arrowhead.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Cam Newton will never win anything significant unless he has a rebirth.

I don't give two shits about the stats, the guy is a selfish player and isn't smart enough to execute a whole NFL offense. Colin Cowherd has said multiple times that coaches have told him they had to use an abbreviated playbook with him and limit his reads.

Saying you would rather have Cam Newton than any other NFL QB is silly.

Colin Cowherd? Puleese.

[mcaj22]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Not sure how relevant that is considering RAC's defense held Manning's offense to their worst outing all season at Arrowhead.

oh so now we are praising RACs defense scheme for doing something good?

so what is it, the scheme or the player talent?

I swear it flip flops only when its convenient to excuse and benefit the player. Usually in the case of Alex Smith or any skill player on the Chiefs or the Chiefs defense.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

Cam Newton lost to the Brady Quinn led Chiefs riding an 8 game losing streak and coming off the Belcher incident

Cam Newton lost to that team. Think about that. Down 7 and goes 3 and out in the 4th quarter to piss the game away.

He cant make a read to save his life against good or bad teams that just move guys around on defense and mask coverages

I guess that means that Brady Quinn is a Franchise QB.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

oh so now we are praising RACs defense scheme for doing something good?

so what is it, the scheme or the player talent?

I swear it flip flops only when its convenient to excuse and benefit the player. Usually in the case of Alex Smith or any skill player on the Chiefs or the Chiefs defense.

What I infer from your posts is that EVERYONE in the NFL sucks.

It doesn't matter if they play for the Chiefs or any other team: EVERYONE SUCKS.

Out of curiosity there, Mr. Football, how is that you know so much about all these teams when you live in Pennsylvania?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Cam Newton will never win anything significant unless he has a rebirth.

Rebirth? What is he supposed to do? The guy has been in the league for two years and has shattered records.

He's much further along at this point than many Hall of Famers, including Steve Young, yet he needs a "re-birth"?

What?

[mcaj22]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

What I infer from your posts is that EVERYONE in the NFL sucks.

It doesn't matter if they play for the Chiefs or any other team: EVERYONE SUCKS.

Out of curiosity there, Mr. Football, how is that you know so much about all these teams when you live in Pennsylvania?

at least I'm fair across the board and not just exclusive to the Chiefs when saying players suck.

We do have some very good players on this team, sadly the crappy ones for some reason get discussed a lot more in debates around here then the good ones ever do because, what is the reason to even discuss a good player when we all know that player is good at what he does, so there's a consensus about him.

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

at least I'm fair across the board and not just exclusive to the Chiefs when saying players suck.

We do have some very good players on this team, sadly the crappy ones for some reason get discussed a lot more in debates around here then the good ones ever do because, what is the reason to even discuss a good player when we all know that player is good at what he does, so there's a consensus about him.

Or if there is not a consensus like with Fasano its just ignored to focus harder on the suck.